LAND acquisition in the Malay settlement of Kampung Baru is expected to be among the most hotly disputed issues in the Titiwangsa constituency during the run-up to the election, residents said.

Representatives of local residents told The Malaysian Insight that many parties have made a lot of noise about defending the residents, since the issue became a public concern.

The two main points of concern involve the general plan to develop Kampung Baru and the controversy surrounding the development of Kampung Sungai Baru.

The deputy head of the Kampung Sungai Baru Action Committee, Saiful Azhar Ibrahim, saw the focus developing the area as a good thing, even though he has yet to see any concrete offers.

“Now many political parties want to carve their names. We just accept it, there is no problem as there are two, three, political parties that have voiced their opinions, while some have come down here.

“Currently, no one has promised anything, the acquisition is not appropriate, the compensation is very low.”

Saiful Azhar, 50, expects evictions to be the main issue of the election campaign and hopes that the candidates will offer a solution.

“Perhaps this issue will be decisive. Our action committee has been in existence for almost a year, during which, this issue has become a hot topic on social media and news reports.

“This issue will become a sensation. It just so happens that the election is around the corner, and we are being asked to leave now (with) low compensation, given that we are also not sure of our new placement,” he said.

Saiful said that making them move out is putting pressure on the residents who are mostly from the low-income group, especially when the developers managed to acquire the land cheaply.

“Some residents are business people, some do not work, and additionally their children go to school in this area. Parties need to focus more on this.

“Don’t focus on compensation (any longer). Where do the residents of Kampung Sungai Baru, especially those in the flats and terraces, want to go after this?

“The winning coalition will have to help. Get a suitable house for us, either a (DBKL) house or a People’s Housing Project (PPR) house,” Saiful said.

The second-hand clothing dealer was among 37 terrace house owners who received RM500/sqft as compensation for the development of Kampung Sungai Baru.

However, residents expect between RM1,500 and RM2,000/sqft, which they said was the value given to them by a private appraiser.

Residents in eight blocks of 264 flats had to accept the lower rate but will take the matter to court, he said.

Residents were given the chance to move out before a deadline at the end of October, after a developer began construction on the 3.5-acre plot.

Residents want more time

House owner, Anuar Ahmad, 60, hopes that they will be given until December, because he has not yet found a suitable home.

Anuar claimed he will demand replacement houses from the candidates contesting locally.

He said he could not find a new house in Kuala Lumpur with the compensation he received.

“Many politicians come here now, so the residents want to ask for a replacement house, because the compensation can’t do that. Even (buying) a PPR house is also not possible,” Anuar said.

He said Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim had previously promised to temporary housing in Segambut, a PPR house or a house under the supervision of DBKL.

“Yet this is still to be decided, that’s why we are asking for another extension,” Anuar, a retiree, said.

According to him, about 20 owners are staying the area even though notices have been issued.

Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS), which is responsible for maintaining the apartments, issued a circular that it will terminate services effective October 31.

PKNS said it issued the notice dated September 20 because most of the residents had already vacated their apartment and it was costing the company to main the buildings.

Kampung Sungai Baru is one of the seven Malay settlements in Kampung Baru currently in the main plan for development of Kuala Lumpur.

It falls within the Titiwangsa constituency, a Malay-majority area in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and a key political battleground.

Amanah, part of Pakatan Harapan (PH), is reported to be fielding former Federal Territories minister Khalid Samad.

Umno is expected to field former Titiwangsa MP and second finance minister Johari Abdul Ghani.

Perikatan Nasional (PN) is reportedly nominating Titiwangsa Bersatu division head Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal as a replacement for incumbent Rina Mohd Harun, who is expected to stand in another area.

In addition to Khalid, Pejuang’s Federal Territories chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan and PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil have also been seen often visiting the area before.

“We haven’t seen Johari yet,” Saiful said.

An acceptable development plan

Residents’ bodies, such as Persatuan Pemilik Tanah dan Waris Tanah Kampong Baru (Pewaris), said political parties cannot be expected to get involved in the development of Kampung Baru.

Secretary Zainuddin Ismail said that, even without the involvement of politicians, the Kampung Baru development plan would continue.

However, he said he appreciated the efforts of former Federal Territories minister Annuar Musa for the Kampung Baru Development Master Plan.

According to Zainuddin, this plan is better than that presented by PH when it was in power.

Annuar took over the position from Khalid after the PH administration collapsed in 2020.

Khalid had proposed buying land at RM1,000/sqft and was rejected by bodies such as Pewaris.

“(Annuar) is good, he made the Kampung Baru Development Master Plan, breaking (the area) into small groups into blocks, with an area of between two and three acres per block.

“It’s easy for us to do work, that’s what we want. Khalid just wanted to buy land,” he said.

The Annuar idea was then continued by Shahidan, who succeeded the Ketereh MP.

The move was also supported by Pewaris, which continued to work towards developing Kampung Bharu according to the plan.

“For us this is an ongoing activity, we don’t wait for anyone, we keep moving, there are architects, the technical team is there, but now we are looking for financial resources, who wants to give it, then we move.

“We use the Annuar model, now all the blocks have their respective committees. If there are developers who want to come in, we move together.

“If developers want more cuts, we bash them. The residents agree with this concept,” Zainuddin said.

To begin with, Zainuddin said his party will develop three blocks simultaneously, which contain mixed development between housing and commercial.

“When we want to do an example project, three steps are taken and if this is done, it will follow the others.

“This project is a mixed development, it is already in the Annuar’s master plan, we just follow that plan,” he said.

So far, as many as 15 out of 38 blocks have agreed that their areas will be developed with that method, he said.

“Fortunately, there is Annuar, He is a city planner. If not, we will die. Khalid only knows who buys, who wants to sell.

“Yet, Annuar prepares. We need to find our own money, our own business, if we can’t afford it (we will) find an outside developer,” he said. – October 23, 2022.